Improvement in sulky-harrows



G. La DOW. Sulky-Harrow.

No. 222515. Patented Dec. 9,1879.

INVENTO C'hozrles llallow.

ATTORNEY N- PETERS. PHOYO-l ITHOGHAPHER, WASHINGTON, D. O

UNITED, STATES Parana! FFICE.

CHARLES .LA Dow, or. ALBANY, ew YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SULKY-HARROIWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,5 1 2, dated December 9, 1879; application filed October 15, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LA DOW, of

Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sulky-Harrows, of which adjusting thel 'same toany desired depth of penetration of the ground.

Its objects are to provide for the uniform penetration of the teeth while the implement is atwork, andto firmly secure the teeth to the frame, and provide a brace against undue bending of the teeth, and to provide a strong,

light, and elastic vibratory harrow-tooth.

It consists, first, inhrranging the upper curved portions of the rearwardly and downwardly curved vibratory spring-teeth of a har- I row directly under rigid portions of the harrow-frame, which forms a continuous bearing i for the teeth, so'that when the teeth are forced backward by any obstruction they willnot be bowed unduly upward, butwill be held down to work bysaid rigid portions of the frame;

second, in a curved flat; spring harrowjooth,

having alongitudinatrih formed on its surface, whereby the;tooth is given a proper amount of strength, and is enabled to be made f comparatively light.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear perspectiveview of my improved sulky- 'harrow. 1 Fig. 3 is a bottom viewof-jthe rigid frame of Fig. 2is a side elevation of the same.

the same. Fig. 4'- is a detached perspective andcross-sectionalview of one of my improved Y harrowteeth. Fig.- 5 is a top view of a modification of the, harrow. Fig. 6 illustrates a modification of 'the mode of attaching theteeth to the frame.

1 The letter- A- designates the rigid platform or frame of the harrow, which ismounted; on' r the axle B, having at its ends the cranks (J,

upon which are mounted the wheels D.

and elasticity, are adapted to each yield to inequalities and obstructions without disturbing the others, and without causing the harrow to jump from the ground or skip any portion of the area-traversed. The upper portion of each of these teeth is secured to the rigid platform at two points, 0 e, one, 6, being directly at the upper end, and the other, e, at a point some distance from the end, so that each tooth is thus well braced against sidewisestrain, which might otherwise throw it out of its properposit-ion.

I It will be also observed that the upper portion of each toothis attached directly under a solid rigid portion of the plat-form, which, when the tooth is caused to yield rearwardly by inequalities or obstructions, prevents it from being unduly bowed upward and holds it down well to work.

The axle B is secured to the platform or frame by metal straps f, and its cranks project beyond the end of said frame, while at about its middle the axle has securely fixed upon it a worm-wheel, G, which meshes with a worm, H, carried by arotaryshaft, I, mounted in a bracket, '5, and provided with a crank, I, by which it may be turned. By turning the crank and the shaft and worm in, either direction it is obvious that the wormwheel and axle B will be caused to turn in a corresponding direction, and the cranks may thus be caused to project upward or downward, rearward or forward, or at any angle to the frame which will give said frame an elevation to cause the desired depth of penetration of the teeth.

The throwing of the cranks forward or rearward is for the purpose of balancing the implement to suit the weight of the driver. 'As the seat J extcnds'to the rearward of the wheelspindle, it will be seen that when a driver of light weight is upon the implement the spindles which form the fulcrum of theharrow should be relatively farther forward than were a heavier person driving, in order that the light driver shall have a greater length of levcra'ge in his favor to enable his weight to. elfect a proper balance of the machine. The cranks are of such length that when they are adjusted directly downward the platform will be elevated to such a height as to raise the teeth clear of the ground and enable the implement to be moved from field to field and upon the road without hauling it in a wagon.

It will be further observed that the worm and worm-wheel serve to hold the axle and cranks in whatever position they are adjusted without the aid of any other stop or clutch.

The pole K is pivoted to cars l fixed upon the frame A, and extends forward through a loop, M, the sides or legs of which are provided with a series of perforations, m. The pole is provided with a through-hole, which, by raisin gorlowerin g said pole, may be brought into coincidence with any of the opposite perforations of the loop, and if then a pin, 11, be passed through the coincident perforations of the loop and the hole in the pole, it will be seen that the pole may be adjusted and secured at any desired angle to the platform or frame. The purpose of this adjustment of the pole is to secure an equal penetration of all the harrow-teeth, when the harrow is in use, at whatever height the platform or frame may be set, for were the pole rigidly attached it is evident that when the frame is lowered the front side will be at a relatively greater height than before, and vice versa, so that every change of adjustment of the height of the frame would vary and render unequal the penetration of front and rear rows of teeth; but by adjusting the angle of the tongue to correspond with the adjustment of the frame, said frame may be maintained in a practically horizontal position, and all the teeth given an equal penetration.

The rear-side teeth, E, of the harrow are inclined outwardly, so that their points will penetrate the ground almost directly in rear of the wheels, so that the furrows made by these teeth will force the earth into the tracks of the wheels, thereby obliterating said tracks as the implement proceeds.

in Fig. 4. is shown a detached perspective view of my improved vibratory harrow-tooth.

In order that I may use a minimum amount of stock in the tooth, I form upon the rear surface of the same a longitudinal rib, c, which gives the body of the tooth a proper amount of strength for all practical purposes, and reenforces its resilience, so that it shall have in the highest degree that vibratory character which is so conducive to its efiicient action. Each of the teeth I provide with a doublepointed approximately lozenge-shaped reversible point, secured to the lower end of the toothbody. By loosening the bolt 0 the tooth may be adjusted with either end in working position, as desired, so that when one end becomes dull the other may be used, and frequent stoppage for sharpening is thus avoided.

It is, however, not essential that reversible or any other separate points be used; nor will it be necessary to resharpen the teeth after once being formed pointed, as the edges will, of course, wear away more rapidly than the central rib, and the tooth is thus kept pointed and sharp by wear.

Fig. 5 illustrates simply a modification of the form of the harrow-frame, which will be readily understood, an A-shaped or triangular frame being used instead of the rectangular form shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

1n the modification of the mode of attaching the teeth to the frame, as shown in Fig. 6, the extreme upper end of the tooth is bent to form a bearing, 0, which embraces the lower bar, 1;, of a loop, which thus forms a pivot for the tooth to swing upon. A short distance in rear of this pivot'loop is alonger loop, q, which hangs downward and embraces the edges of the tooth so closely as to prevent sidewise play, but to permit vertical play. This mode of attachment is particularly useful in rough ground, as it permits the teeth to fall varying distances, and thus take behind large clods and into depressions. The action of .the teeth otherwise is essentially the same as in Figs. 1 and 2.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with the rigid harrowframe, of the rearwardly and downwardly curved vibratory spring-teeth, having the upper portions of these curves secured directly under rigid solid portions of the harrow-frame, which forms a continuous bearing for the teeth, so that when the teeth are forced backward by any obstruction they will not be bowed unduly upward, but will be held down to work by said rigid portions of the frame, essentially as set forth.

2. A curved flat spring harrow-tooth, hav;

ing a longitudinal rib formed on its suqface,

whereby the tooth is re-enforced and given a proper amount of strength, and is enabled to be made comparatively light, essentially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES LA DOW. Witnesses:

W. B. HALE, J AMES A. RUTHERFORD. 

